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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Sayyaf leader loses leg after surgery
By Miko Santos
MANILA -- Captured Abu Sayyaf leader Galib Andang alias Kumander Robot was operated Tuesday night for the amputation of his left leg that was badly injured during an encounter with government forces, a military doctor said Tuesday.
The condition of Andang "stabilized" more than 30 hours after his arrest by security forces in Jolo, Sulu, Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said.
Lucero said Andang remained under heavy guard at the intensive care unit of V. Luna Medical Center after surgery was done on him.
"We are giving him utmost medical attention to prevent that from happening," Lucero said.
Andang lost a lot of blood and is confined at the intensive care unit, Col. Rafael Regino, the military surgeon general, said.
Regino and the rest of the medical team decided to amputate Andang's left leg to avoid further infection.
"If we prolong the condition it might progress to gangrene and promote secondary infection," Regino said.
Andang suffered multiple gunshot wounds on the legs during a clash with the military in Jolo Island, where he was captured last Sunday. He was immediately flown Monday to Manila for treatment.
Meanwhile, Lucero said Andang provided the military with information that could lead to the arrest of four other wanted Abu Sayyaf leaders.
Lucero said the four bandit leaders have a P5-million bounty each. He said the military launched pursuit operations against them.
His gang of self-proclaimed Islamic separatists raided the Sipadan resort in Malaysia more than three years ago and seized 21 tourists and resort staff. The captives were later released, reportedly in return for millions of dollars in ransom payments.
Andang would stand trial in a Filipino court and could face the death penalty if convicted of multiple kidnappings, officials said.
Ransom money
In a related development, Andang's counsel Oliver Lozano said Tuesday that Andang accused some government officials of receiving part of the ransom money paid by the kidnap victims.
According to Lozano, Andang wrote a letter to a negotiator who was supposed to work for his surrender. The negotiator sent the letter to Lozano.
Andang claimed the ransom money usually goes first to the officials who would later give five percent of the amount to the Abu Sayyaf Group, Lozano said.
Lozano refused to divulge the identities of the officials, saying he has yet to validate the information.
Former presidential adviser on flagship projects Robert Aventajado reacted to Andang's claim admitting that the Libyan government paid the multi-million-dollar-ransom to the Abu Sayyaf for the foreign hostages freedom three years ago.
He pointed out that all of the money Libya paid went directly to Andang.
"Whatever happens with it after reaching his hands, that I would not know. All that I could say would be purely speculative," he said on Andang's claim that his group only received five percent of the ransom and the rest went to certain government officials.
Terror links
US ambassador to the Philippines Francis Ricciardone said the United States -- the key defense ally of the Philippines -- is interested in getting information from Andang on possible terrorist links in the region.
He expressed confidence that local authorities would cooperate with the United States in this regard, adding the Philippines should get a "first crack" at prosecuting Andang.
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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